Historic Santa Barbara and the Old Mission

There are plenty of opportunities to uncover the rich history of Santa Barbara, California. Explore the Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History, the Old Santa Barbara Mission, and El Presidio de Santa Barbara State Historic Park. The Santa Barbara Museum of Art is where you'll also discover great works of art from around the world.

Santa Barbara, California Hotel near Historic Santa Barbara.

A clean, comfortable lodging experience comes standard at the beautiful Ramada Limited Santa Barbara. Delight in spacious guestrooms and suites, courteous service, and quality amenities. A convenient location makes it a breeze to access the historic aspects of Santa Barbara, including the museums, parks, and mission.

Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History.

A staggering three million artifacts and specimens make their home at the Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History. They cover the fields of anthropology, archaeology, vertebrate and invertebrate biology, geology and paleontology, and art. These collections reflect all the changes in nature and culture that have occurred over time. The archive is indispensable for those engaging in natural history research, which includes 14 Museum of Natural History scientists and their colleagues from across the globe. Museum visitors can learn about birds, mammals, insects, and the Chumash Indians in the information-packed exhibit halls. They can also venture out on the Nature Trail that runs along Mission Creek. What's more, they can explore the mysteries of space on display in the Gladwin Planetarium. For more information, visit www.sbnature.org/

El Presidio de Santa Barbara State Historic Park.

The last of four military fortresses built by the Spanish, the Santa Barbara Royal Presidio was founded in 1782. The buildings were constructed of adobe bricks placed upon foundations of sandstone boulders. The red tile roofs came from the timbers of Los Padres Forest. The Presidio buildings formed a quadrangle, which enclosed a central parade ground. Two cannons were the centerpiece of the outer defense wall. The Chapel was the first church for the people of Santa Barbara. Today, only two sections are left from the original Presidio quadrangle. Both sections are situated within the State Park. One is El Cuartel, the family residence of the soldier assigned to guard the western gate. The other is the Canedo Adobe, which was named after the Presidio soldier to whom it was given after the Presidio was no longer active. For more information, visit www.sbthp.org/presidio.htm

Old Santa Barbara Mission.

Established on the Feast of Saint Barbara in 1786, the Santa Barbara Mission was the tenth of 21 California Missions created by Spanish Franciscans. Today, this cultural and historic landmark is home to a community of Franciscan friars. In addition, the Mission features a retreat center with guestrooms, conference rooms, a full kitchen and dining room, a church with an active parish, a museum and gift shop, a cemetery and mausoleum, and lush, landscaped gardens that span 10 acres. For more information, visit http://santabarbaramission.org

Santa Barbara Museum of Art.

The Museum's collection is, in a word, impressive. There are 27,000 works in total that cover more than 5,000 years. Artwork from Asia, Europe, and the Americas ranges from paintings, sculpture, prints, drawings, and photographs to ceramics, glass, jades, bronzes, and textiles. The museum is in possession of a significant number of exquisite international antiquities from China, India, Greece, Rome, Egypt, and the Near East. Particularly worth seeing is the museum's permanent collection of 19th- and 20th-century American and European art, as well as Asian art, most specifically the art of China. For more information, visit www.sbmuseart.org/. Guests of the beautiful Ramada Limited generally receive a 2 for 1 certificate for admission.